1. How is the seasonal confectionery market performing?
2. Affordable indulgence is key for Christmas confectionery
3. What formats do retailers need to be stocking?
4. Don’t forget gifting
5. How can retailers make the most of the season?
6. What’s new for Christmas 2025?
1. How is the seasonal confectionery market performing?
With the festive season approaching quickly, retailers are getting their Christmas confectionery displays in order early. But just how much of an opportunity can it actually deliver to stores?
Head of marketing at World of Sweets, Kathryn Hague, breaks down the numbers. “Christmas is a key period for the confectionery sector with consumers buying to enjoy at home and making confectionery gift purchases. In 2024, the Christmas confectionery market was worth £853 million, up £88 million on the previous year. Value and gifting continue to be a large focus for seasonal ranges and cater to current consumer purchasing trends.
Trade & shopper marketing manager at Swizzels, Clare Newton, agrees that the category continues to perform strongly. “The confectionery category performed strongly during Christmas 2024, remaining one of the top-performing seasonal sectors despite ongoing pressures on household budgets. Shoppers continued to view confectionery as an affordable indulgence and a key part of festive celebrations, with sales driven by gifting, entertaining, and self-treating missions. Sharing formats, advent calendars and novelty gifting lines were particularly popular as consumers looked for products that delivered value, versatility, and excitement.”
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2. Affordable indulgence is key for Christmas confectionery
Nobody wants to feel like a Scrooge over Christmas but that doesn’t mean people aren’t watching the pennies as prices continue to rise. Newton explains that customers want luxury but not at luxurious prices. “For Christmas 2025, shoppers are looking for affordable indulgence without compromising on quality. Sharing formats such as tubs, pouches and cartons meet this need perfectly, offering generous quantities at accessible price points. These products are versatile, making them suitable for multiple occasions: from stocking fillers and gifting to family movie nights and parties, which makes them an essential part of any convenience store range.”
She adds that shoppers are also looking to recreate times gone by with their confectionery selection. “Nostalgia also remains a powerful purchase driver, particularly during the festive season. Swizzels’ Sweet Shop Favourites range taps into this trend by combining classic favour-ites like Drumstick Chews, Refreshers and Love Hearts with newer popular treats like Squashies. By catering to multiple generations within one household, Swizzels products offer retailers a simple way to meet a variety of shopper needs in a single purchase.”
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3. What formats do retailers need to be stocking?
Smaller stores require smaller ranges which means tough choices for retailers who want to try and cover as many bases. Newton offers up some advice for those making their Christmas range list. “In convenience and forecourt channels, sharing formats remain the strongest performers, with tubs, pouches and cartons driving significant incremental sales. Their affordability and versatility make them attractive to shoppers seeking products that work for multiple festive occasions, whether as gifts, stocking fillers, or treats to enjoy at home.
“Advent calendars are another key sales driver, encouraging shoppers to visit stores earlier in the season to secure their favourites. Retailers who stock a balanced mix of trusted, recognisable brands like Swizzels, alongside eye-catching novelty lines, are best placed to cater to a wide range of shoppers and maximise festive sales opportunities.”
Hague agrees that sharing should be the priority but not to forget the trading up opportunity. “Gifting and sharing options are always popular during the festive season. Luxury boxed chocolates and token gifts in a variety of formats and price points will suit all occasions and price points. For retailers looking for value items, a focus on novelty, sharing bags and self eat will be priority with a focus on products with an RRP of £1.”
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4. Don’t forget gifting
There’s nothing more embarrassing than receiving a gift from someone and realising you have nothing to give them in return. Enter your local convenience store. Mondelez trade communications manager, Susan Nash, explains the importance of the gifting segment. “Gifting blocks make up 5% of total winter confectionery sales, so they are recommended for retailers to stock in the weeks leading up to Christmas Day. Cadbury offers a wide range of gifting blocks including the classic Cadbury Dairy Milk 360g bar. For 2025, Mondelēz International is introducing a Cadbury Dairy Milk Biscoff 350g block to shelves, helping retailers further tap into the sharing occasion with this iconic flavour.”
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5. How can retailers make the most of the season?
Heading into the golden quarter, retailers have a lot on their plate so they need to know some quick wins to make the most of the festive season.
Nash says start now to make the most of the ‘buy early and buy often’ approach. “Retailers are encouraged to start stocking Christmas lines from now with a ‘fast start’, as 25% of all Christmas confectionery sales come in the first period of the season. Mondelēz International advises retailers to prepare for the increase in Big Night In occasions as the weather gets cooler and shoppers look to spend more nights at home by stocking up on sharing formats, tablets and self-eat treats. These products appearing on shelves act as the first indicator of Christmas to shoppers, beginning to drive seasonal excitement.
“In December, shoppers will be looking to make their final purchases in the run-up to Christmas Day. In fact, 50% of winter sales are made in December, with seasonal confectionery growing by 55% in the week of Christmas.”
Newton advises retailers to maintain a balance with their offering. “For small retailers, it’s important to balance core evergreen products with festive-specific lines to optimise sales and minimise risk. Swizzels’ Sweet Shop Favourites tubs, pouches and cartons are perfect examples, as they deliver festive appeal while maintaining all-year-round relevance thanks to their classic branding and wide-ranging popularity.
“We also recommend making use of smaller case sizes and phased deliveries where possible, introducing additional stock gradually as demand builds closer to Christmas. This approach gives retailers flexibility, helping them manage stock levels effectively, avoid overloading early in the season, and reduce the risk of excess stock in January.”
She agrees with Nash regarding starting early. “Retailers should focus on early planning and regular monitoring to manage stock effectively throughout the festive period. We recommend placing initial orders early to secure availability of key lines like advent calendars, tubs and pouches, while using weekly sales data to keep track of performance and replenish bestsellers as needed.
“At the same time, we suggest introducing additional stock in phases rather than over-committing at the start of the season. This approach allows retailers to meet growing demand as Christmas approaches, while reducing the likelihood of surplus stock and mark-downs in January.”
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6. What’s new for Christmas 2025?
World of Sweets’ Hague outlines some of the new lines for 2025.
“We’re launching a number of exciting new products for the 2025 festive season from brands including Candy Realms, Pick’n’Mix Station, Bonds of London, Elves Behavin’ Badly and Anthon Berg. New for 2025 are Candy Realms North Poles with a 170g bag retailing at just £1. The strawberry and green apple flavour liquorice bites have a sour sugar coating and are a good choice for self eat or sharing over Christmas.
“Also new for 2025 from Candy Realms are the Festive Gummy Pops. The tutti-frutti flavoured gummy lollipops come in four festive characters, including Santa Claus, a Christmas stocking, a Christmas tree and Rudolph. RRP is just 50p, making them an affordable stocking filler, pre-Christmas treat or for Christmas Eve boxes.
“Finally, new for 2025 is the Naughty or Nice Jelly Bean Game. This fun stocking filler, gift or prank present will see consumers spinning an arrow and taking a chance on different flavoured jelly beans. The 12 naughty or nice flavours include cola or dog food, bubblegum or mouthwash, tropical or curry, strawberry or chilli, birthday cake or soap and watermelon or cabbage. RRP is £2.50.”
Gnaw is also adding two dessert-themed lines to its range. They are Apple Strudel: A delightfully spiced smooth 40% cocoa milk chocolate bar packed with biscuit, cinnamon, date and apple, and Cherry & Almond Tart: a modern 40% cocoa milk chocolate twist on an 1800s puff pastry classic first baked at the White Horse Inn in Bakewell, made with almond, biscuit and zingy cherry flavour (rrp: £3.99).
On the Nestlé side, it is launching a KitKat Santa Chocolate Sharing Bag containing five individually wrapped, mini milk-chocolate Santa figures with a crispy wafer and milk chocolate filling – a great stocking filler for KitKat fans. There’s also this year’s limited-edition KitKat Gingerbread flavour two-finger.
Meanwhile, After Eight has teamed up with London-based Artist and Designer, Camille Walala, to create a limited-edition design this Christmas.
Marketing manager, After Eight - Nestlé UK & Ireland, Rachael Mundy, said: “We’re delighted to be bringing Camille’s limited-edition design to UK households this festive season. Not only do they look the part by blending bold, vibrant patterns with After Eight’s signature silhouette, they also make the perfect treat to gift style-loving friends and foodies alike.”
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